Across the globe, social media has taken centre stage in shaping the world of business. Platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have long been veritable tools through which businesses engage with their customers, market/promote their products and most importantly, advertise their products and services to targeted audiences; albeit with less cost. Recently, these platforms have also become avenues for professionals to offer professional advice to their followers. In Nigeria for instance, some women with corporate backgrounds are now offering business/financial tips to both individuals and SMEs on Instagram.
As part of our commemoration for the fast-approaching 2018 International Women’s Day, here are the top five business-savvy Nigerian women on Instagram who are using the photo-sharing app for a little more than just sharing beautiful pictures of themselves. Their free business/financial tips help both employees, entrepreneurs/SME owners to make informed decisions pertaining to savings, investment, running a successful business and ensuring economic development.
1. Arese Ugwu (@smartmoneyarese)
Arese Ugwu is the smart money woman. She is on a mission to educate Nigerians on everything financial literacy- money management, the importance of savings and investment. Using Instagram as a tool, she preaches her message on a weekly basis to the more than 4879 people that follow her on her personal Instagram page, as well as the 83 thousand people that follow her official Instagram account.
Arese has written a book, The Smart Money Woman which was an instant bestseller across Africa and beyond. She also appears regularly on both local and international channels to talk about financial literacy. In December 2016, she told the CNN that she got inspired to start her smart money movement after she came to the realisation that she hadn’t been saving enough. Today, she is the president of Smartmoneyafrica.org.
In a nutshell, Arese knows that “money has wings and can fly away” if mismanaged. And so in her effort to help Nigeria’s millennials prevent that from happening, she dedicates her time to educating them.
2. Nimi Akinkugbe (@mmwithnimi)
Nimi Akinkugbe is yet another Nigerian woman who has taken it upon herself to educate Nigerians on financial solutions that actually work. She constantly shares her wealth of financial experience with her 46, 000 followers on Instagram, offering both simple and in-depth financial tips which are relatable and practical.
Ms Akinkugbe is the Chief Executive Officer of Bestman Games Limited, a company she founded following the end of her decade-long career as a successful banker. Bestman Games Limited is currently the sole distributor of Hasbro’s world-famous game Monopoly in Africa.
3. Tale Alimi (@talealimi)
Tale Alimi is a business strategist, coach, and growth expert. She is also the founder and CEO of Tale Alimi Global, a premium business coaching outfit with a vision to help Africa’s SMEs scale through their businesses and achieve market preeminence. To achieve this aim, Ms Alimi makes use of Instagram where she shares vlog tips on SMEs success with her nearly 2000 followers.
In 2016, she hosted the Entrepreneur’s journey radio show on WFM 91.7. Tale has also written a book titled “Up Level”
4. Favour- The Business Growth PRO (@ibrandyourbiz)
Favour helps start-ups and other small businesses to gain greater visibility on social media, grow their businesses, and ultimately make money. She also uses her platform to encourage business owners to not give up despite the many challenges they may face on their entrepreneurial journey. In the same vein, she encourages people to embrace entrepreneurship through her “My Family is Business Savvy” series.
5. Natasha Akpoti (@natashaakpoti)
Natasha Akpoti is the Founder and CEO of Builders’ Hub Foundation, an Abuja-based nonprofit specialized in encouraging grassroots entrepreneurship.She is also the M.D of the Legend Ark Group, a fully integrated company that offers strategic solutions in energy consulting, legal services, agriculture and construction.
Ms Akpoti is passionate about Nigeria’s industrialisation. And even though she is not exactly active on Instagram, she uses Facebook on an almost daily basis to spread the good news of entrepreneurship.
Meanwhile, beyond social media, Natasha also takes on policymakers, lobbying them on both the Senate floor and television channels to restore Nigeria’s authority/ownership of Ajaokuta Steel. This is owing to the fact that steel is necessary in the quest for industrialisation.
